I popped over to pvelectronics, (cool clocks), and then there was webchat, so I could not resist... (sorry)
Dr Whohttp://www.pool.ntp.org/vendors.html FYI -- your Wifi NTP Sync Device abuses NTP. The Doctor does not approve. Pete SOmeone has received a module with firmware build error, but the module we are selling does NOT abuse NTP!! the module should relax the frequency of polling the server after the first minute of activity, and we have verified that the current shipping firmware does so. Please be assured its in hand The polling frequency after startup is in accordance with the guidelines and an uneven number of seconds apart, so won't ever always be the same time, eg. midnight or on the hour. So looks like they are at least trying to correct the issue, and a firmware update may resolve the issue for your device. Regards Austin On 16 January 2018 at 23:13, Mike S <[email protected]> wrote: > I recently built a Nixie tube clock with a kit purchased from > http://www.pvelectronics.co.uk/ . They also have an "WiFi NTP Sync > Device" which can be configured on WiFi to get time from an ntp server > to keep the clock in sync. ("141 Units in Stock") > > After setting it up, I immediately noticed it was polling the ntp server > EVERY 6 SECONDS. This, to keep a clock with a 1 second resolution in sync. > > But, not only does the WiFi NTP Sync Device normally poll every 6 > seconds, but it also does a DNS lookup each time it polls. While it's > good to do a fresh DNS lookup on occasion, it's bad to do so for every > poll. > > The canonical implementation of ntp, has a default setting for > restricting incoming polls to an average of 8 seconds > (https://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/html/accopt.html#discard). Many > ntp servers send a "Kiss-o'-Death" packet when they find a client > polling too often > (https://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/html/rate.html#kiss). > > The PV electronics NTP thing does exactly the opposite of what it should > do - instead of slowing down, it immediately does another DNS lookup and > then does another NTP poll. So when it should be slowing down from its > abusive 6 second polls, it actually speeds up to several polls per > second, with a DNS lookup preceding each. Ouch! > > 6 second polls are, of course, abusive. They're also in direct violation > of the ToS for the ntp pool servers, which PV Electronics suggests using. > > They were informed of these issues over 3 weeks ago (Pete Virica > <[email protected]>), and nothing has been done to address the > issues. I don't know if anyone on the list has contact with Pete, or if > anyone is in a position to push them to fix their stuff, but at this > point I don't see any way to get them to react other than a good old > public shaming. > > --- > Mike > _______________________________________________ > pool mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.ntp.org/listinfo/pool > _______________________________________________ pool mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ntp.org/listinfo/pool
